Chain-tool.



F. A. STRONG.

CHAIN TOOL.

' APPLICATION FILED JANA, 191s.

Patented July 29, 1913.

ATTORNEYS UNITED snares P OFFICE- 4- EREDERICK A. STRONG, OFBRIDGEPORT,..CO1\ IECTICU'I, ASSI ZGNOR TO WEED CHAIN TIRE GRIP.QOMPANI, :01 .NEW YORK, N,

Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

GHAIN-TOOL.

- Specification of Letters Patent. 7

Patented July 29, 1913.

bpplicationnledfl'anuaryfl, 1e13, Serial No. 789,828.

To all whom it may concern:

7 Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. Srnonc, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of Bridgeport, Fairfield county, Connectiout, havemade acertain new and useful In-.

rention Relating .to Chain-Tools, of which the following is-aspecification, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing,

In the accompanying drawing showing in a somewhat diagrammatic way anillustrative embodiment out this invention, Figure 1 is an elevation (ifthe tool in its substantially open condition; Fig 2 is an end viewthereof. Fig. 3 shows the :tool acting.

as a hook opener; and Fig. 4 shows its-action .in-closing-a tread chainattaching ho0k.

As shown in the illustrative embodiment of the invention indicated inthe drawing the tool may comprise-two closing jaws 1- and 2 which mayhaveoperating handles of any :desired description such as the integralhandles 3, 4, each aw and connected handle being preferably formed ofsheet-steel of substantially uniform thickness and practi- .cally flat'throughout, except that if desired the end of each handle may be bentsome.

what into the plane of the other handle so I as to positively prevent:undesirable inward :movement. tool \may at a minimum of'expense be veryreadily stamped -out of sheets of tool steel or other suitable material,the jaws being preferably given jample area adjacent -their pivotalconnection so as to secure in this way the desired -de ree of alinementwithout the necessity accurate fitting. The pivotal connection of thejaws may be 'conveniently secured by an ordinary pivot :or bolt '5having the nut'G which also serves to :hold the jaws substantially inalinement-under operating conditions. The jaws :may be provided withsuitable coiiperating-opening andclosing-devicesadapts to open theattaching hooks of :chain grips of the Weed- =Parsons=type,-forinstance, and to close down on the side chains the attadhing'hOokS used.

In this way the parts of the to secure in position the tread members, itbeing also deslrable to have a suitable cutting device for detachingunnecessary lengths of side chain and for other purposes in connectionwith the construction or repair of these grips.

The opening device may with advantage comprise lapplng, wedging openingjawsv having ascissors action so as to wedge them- ;selves between theends 'of the attaching hooks and the body port-ions thereof and openthese hooks to the desired extent. For

this purpose the closing jaws 1, 2 may be provided-adjacent their endswith lapping, -wedging,' opening jaws 7, 8 which may be formed withinclined ends 9,10 so as to pro-' vide coiiperating lapping points onthe side adjacent the pivot. As seen in Fig. 2, these wedging jaws maywith advantage be beveled at an angle of twenty to thirty degrees or soto the flat meeting faces of the closing jaws so as to exert the properwedging action on the-connecting hooks, such as 14, as indicated in Fig.3. In opening an attaching hook the connected link 16 of the side chainis preferably arranged below the wedging jaws which are then enteredbelow the ends 17 :of the attaching hook andwhen these wedging jaws areforced together by the connected handles the-ends of this hook arewedged away from the body portion thereof soas to open the hooksufiiciently to allow it to be withdrawn from the link 16 of the sidechain so as to disconnect the tread chain member 15 therefrom.

The closing device is preferably provided with grippingsockets havingsufiicient bevel to grip and al-ine the ends and body of the usualdoubled attaching hook, for instance, lateral retainers preferablycomprising wedging retai'ners being also provided in cotiperationtherewith so as to positively prevent any part of the hook from gettingout of lateral alinement during the closing operation. This closingdevice may be conveniently formed by providing in the closing jaws 1, 2preferably closely adjacent cient' angle to grip the parts of 'the hook.

with which they come in contact-and prevent them slipping longitudinallywith re spect to the jaws. These jaws are also preferably formed withlate at retainers,'such as 21, 22, which limit the lateral movement ofthe.'h ook members in that direction while the other" lateral retainers23, 2a are preferably somewhat outwardly inclined as indicated in thedrawing, so that they have a ,pcsitire' wedging action as the jaws cometogether forcing inward any part of the hook which tends to move out oflateral alinement. These wedging lateral retainers are as indicatedformed in this instance by the inner faces of the scissors actionclosing jaws which because of their inclined wedge shape are' enabled tomore readily enter and wedge apart a closed hook of this charzuzter. Inthis way these opening jaws have a desirable double function byvpositively wedging or forcing laterally into alinement any part of thehook which tends to get out of alinement while the hook is being forcedtogether in the other direction during the closing operation.

The closing operation is indicated in Fi 4 showing how the attachinghook may be inserted within the closing device which may engage the hookadjacent its ends 17. \Vhen the closing jaws are forced together by thehandles the hook ends and body portions 14 are held in the grippingnotches against undesirable movement and forced into closedposition,securely attaching the chain tread member 15 to the links 16 of the sidechain.

The cutting device may comprise cooperatiug cutter notches 11, 12 formedin the closing jaws adjacent the pivot so as to accommodate the sidechain links and detach the desired number thereof from the grips.

This invention has been described in con- 'nection with a number ofillustrative embodiments, forms, proportions, sizes, mate rials andarrangements of parts, to the details of which disclosure this inventionis not of course to be limited, since 7 What is claimed as new and whatis desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appendedclaims: I

1. In chain tools adapted for use in opening or closing chain tire gripsand so forth,

substantially flat closing jaws each having a handle, a pivot connectingsaid jaws and holding their. cooperating faces in substantial alinenientunder operating conditions,

- said jaws being formed with asci ssors action opening devicecomprising lapping .wedging opening jaws having inclined edges rminglapping points, said jaws being formed with aclosing device adjacentsaid pivot and comprising sockets adapted to accommodate an article.

2. Inrchain tools adapted for use in openin or closing chain tire gripsand so forth, su stantially flat closing jaws each having in substantialalin elnent under operating an integral handle stamped from sheetalinement under operating conditions, said N closing jaws being formedwith a closing device adjacent said pivot and comprising two grippingsockets formed in each jaw adapted to accommodate a doubled attachinghook, and lateral retainers adjacent Said sockets and comprising awedging lateral retainer to positively bring the adjacent parts of saidhook into lateral alinement during the closing'operation.

3. In chain tools adapted for use in opening or closing chain tire gripsand so forth, substantially fiat closing jaws each having a handle, apivot connecting said closing jaws and holding their cooperating facesconditions, said closing jaws being formed with aclosingdev cecomprising sockets formed 1n each aw adapted to accommodate a doubledattaching hook, and lateral re- 9 -connecting said closing jawscomprising sockets formed in each. jaw adapted to accommodate a doubledattaching hook, and lateral retainers adjacent said sockets tending tohold the adjacent parts of said hook in lateral alinement during theclosing operation.

5. In chain tools adapted for use in opening or closing chain tire gripsand so forth, substantially flat closing jaws each having an integralhandle, a pivot connecting said closing jaws and holding theircooperating faces in substantial alinement under operating conditions,said closing jaws being formed with a closing device comprising grippingsockets adapted to accommodate an article and lateral retainers adjacentsaid sockets and comprising wedge shaped mem-.

said sockets and comprising members having their inner sldes outwardlyinclined to form 13 in or closing chain the grips'and so forth,"

su stantially fiat jaws each having an integral handle and ofsubstantially the same thickness throughout practically its entireextent, a pivot connecting said jaws and holding their cooperating facesin substantial alinement under operating conditions, said jaws beingformed with a closing device, and with a scissors action opening devicecomprising lapping wedging opening jaws having inclined edges forminglapping points on the sides ad'acent saidpivot, said wedging jaws beingeveled at angles between about twenty and thirtydegrees with the meetingplane of said jaws to enable said lapping opening jaws to crowd betweenmembers and wedge them apart.

9. In chain tools adapted for usein opening or closing chain tire gripsand so forth, jaws each having a handle, a pivot connecting said jawsand holding their cooperating faces in substantial alinement underoperating conditions, said jaws being formed .with a scissors actionopening device comping points,

mg inclined e ges forming la d t 1 eve e a ang es said wedging jawsbeing 40 prising lappin wedging opening jaws havbetween about twenty andthirty degrees to enable said lapping opening jaws to crowd betweenmembers and wedge them apart. I

10. In chain tools adapted for use in opening or closing chain tiregrips and so forth, substantially flat jaws each having a handle, .a'pivot connecting said jaws, said jaws being formed with a closingdevice, and with a scissors action opening device comprising lappingwedging opening jaws to crowd between members. and wedge them apart.

11. In chain tools adapted for use in-open-' in or closing chain tiregrips and so forth,

su stantially flat jaws each having an integral handle, a pivotconnection between said jaws, said jaws being formed with a closingdevice, and with a scissors action opening device comprising lappingwedging opening jaws having flat cooperating faces and beveled at anglesbetween about twenty and thirty degrees with the plane of thecooperating faces of said jaws to enable said lapping opening jaws tocrowd between members and wedge them apart.

12. In chain tools adapted for use in opening or closing chaintire gripsand so forth, substantially flat jaws each having a handle, a ivotconnection between said jaws, said ]aws being formed with ascissorsaction opening device comprisin lapping wedging openingjawshaving at cooperating faces and beveled at small angles with the planeof the icoiiperating faces of said jaws to enable said lapping openingjaws to crowd between'members and wedge them apart. i FREDERICK A.STRONG.

Witnesses:

E. J. MORRELL,

- WALTER F. WALKER.

